Fatherhood Initiative

Promoting Responsible Fatherhood

Welcome to the New York State Office of Children and Family Services (OCFS) Fatherhood Initiative website. This site focuses on the work of OCFS to engage fathers in the child welfare and juvenile justice communities and to provide programs that will encourage responsible fatherhood.Research shows that children whose fathers take a more active role in their lives have better outcomes related to academics, behavior and social skills.

Since 2007, OCFS has been working with the Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance to bring the agencies together to better serve non-custodial parents, mostly fathers, who want to become more involved in their children’s lives, pay child support, and gain the skills that will strengthen their ability to be effective fathers.
OCFS works with fathers in our residential facilities through the Division of Juvenile Justice Opportunities for Youth (DJJOY) Fatherhood Initiative and in communities through Healthy Families New York Home Visiting Programs. In child welfare, OCFS has developed a Locating and Engaging Fathers Toolkit to assist local districts in involving fathers in case planning.

Father involvement is supported through a number of state and federally funded programs across New York State that provide parenting programs, help couples maintain strong relationships, enhance fathers’ economic stability and provide support during incarceration and re-entry.

Mission

OCFS is committed to preparing fathers in the child welfare system and juvenile justice programs to become responsible parents.

For youth in our residential centers, OCFS identifies, monitors, and prepares young fathers to be better parents when they are released.